Great design makes you feel understood
Today I presented designs to my users and the response was overwhelmingly positive. “This is the most exciting change to come.” “Everything in one place, this is going to make my life so much easier.” “WHEN CAN WE HAVE THIS?!”
I was overjoyed by their feedback and left the session with a skip in my step. What was it about the positive reception that filled me with such a deep sense of satisfaction? Was it my ego preening that these amorphous ideas from my head were resonating with the people I’m trying to serve? I think it goes deeper than that.
I suspect it’s the primal part of our nature that seeks to feel understood by our fellow humans. Great design makes you feel understood with the way it meets and anticipates your needs. My Dyson comes to mind. Not only is the vacuuming experience delightful (the growl of the motor, the satisfaction of watching the waste compartment fill with dust, the form factor that elevates cleaning to ghost buster fun vibes), they’ve also considered all the secondary journeys like emptying the waste (very easy and you don’t have to touch any grime) and maintenance (you can open it with coin, no need for tools). It’s starting to sound like a Dyson ad but I digress. You know that someone has taken the time to understand your needs and crafted a experience that feels natural, even delightful.
As a creator, witnessing a user experience the joy of being understood is a moment of pure human connection. There is nothing quite like it.